Strong Storms Tuesday, Much Cooler Wednesday

We’ve enjoyed a long stretch of warm, dry and mainly sunny weather for nearly a week in North Florida. And it won’t be long until we’ll be wishing for a cold front to bring relief from heat and humidity. However, it’s still spring and cold fronts still typically pass through every 7 to 10 days this time of year. WRUF Weather is tracking our next one that will bring widespread showers and thunderstorms to our area Tuesday, followed by a sudden drop in temperature Tuesday night.

The storm system sending the front our way has already produced damage from hail, wind and tornadoes across the central U.S. It should be entering the extreme western parts of the Panhandle in the pre-dawn hours Tuesday, bringing some heavy rainfall and thunder to Pensacola as early as 2am, then moving toward Tallahassee by 4am.

TIMING OF THE STORMS

Arriving as early at 10am, but more likely from Noon to 4pm

Strong storms possible on the leading edge of the line

Minor wind damage and frequent lightning the primary hazards

Snapshot of Futuretrack at 2pm when the storms will likely be arriving in Gainesville.

Alachua County residents will have dry roads for the morning commute, but the storms will be getting close by the lunch hour. Recent model data suggests the first cells could approach Gainesville by 10am, but that the stronger activity is most likely closer to noon. Some of these thunderstorms could produce minor wind damage and frequent lightning. Follow WRUF Weather on twitter @WRUFweather (with notifications on) or watch WRUF-TV Weather on the 6’s for frequent and live updates. You can also follow along with us using our Personal Storm Tracking live blog from your desk at work. The showers will then taper off by 6pm, so if you have plans Tuesday night, you can leave the umbrellas at home.

MUCH COLDER TUESDAY NIGHT

After the front passes through, a north wind will become blustery and send in significantly cooler air. Overnight lows Tuesday night into Wednesday morning will fall into the middle 40’s, some 40 degrees colder than daytime highs just a day or two ago. Temperatures will quickly recover by Thursday and Friday, thanks to an easterly wind coming in off the Atlantic.